Happy New Year

I love new beginnings! It is so nice to wrap up a year and begin anew. This year is no different. I am excited to start 2011 and discover all the next twelve months hold. A few special things about 2010:

• Dh published his first book. It has been so fun to see him fulfill a dream and to see the book welcomed with enthusiasm by many whom we deeply respect.
• Dh began work on his doctorate.
• We started a new small group that has been a blessing to us.
• Haddon started Kindergarten.
• We had our first broken bone (Beckett).
• We enjoyed a year of exceptional health with only a few colds here and there and are so very grateful.

And a few upcoming milestones in 2011:

• This year my oldest will turn 10. Double digits. Oh my! It is hard to believe that tiny baby is now such a big, handsome, kind-hearted boy.
• This year my youngest will begin Kindergarten, and we will have no more preschoolers in our home. Everyone can now feed, bathe, dress and toilet themselves. ;) I sleep through the night the majority of the time and we are enjoying the flexibility of not being tied to nap schedules. Still one more baby sure would be nice. :)
• This year dh will turn 40.(And I am not far behind). Yikes!
• This year we will wrap up our first four year cycle following the Classical Model. Thatcher will complete the Grammar Stage and will begin the Dialectic Stage.
• Dh and I will celebrate 15 years of marriage.

And being such a task-oriented, box-checking kinda gal, I cannot help but set some goals for the new year. Here are a few of my goals for 2011:

• Dh and I are planning two date nights out and two date nights in (kids to bed early and a movie on Netflix, a chess game, a Wii match or just time to talk) a month in 2011. We have had a hard time getting away in years past but this year we have committed to making time together alone even more of a priority.
• Early to bed and early to rise. Ol' Ben had something! For me too often it's been late to bed and early to rise (makes a Mommy grouchy, impatient and caffeine-addicted). No more - or at least a lot less ;)
• Memorize the book of Philippians.
• Exercise more.
• Read more (see booklist below)
• Scrapbook more.
• Laugh more.
• Eat less.

And last, here is my booklist for 2011:

Education related books:

For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay

Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv

Spiritual Books:

Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller

One Thousand Gifts: Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp

Parenting Books:

The Home at Greylock by Elizabeth Prentiss

Instructing a Child's Heart by Tedd & Margy Tripp

Raising Godly Tomatoes by L. Elizabeth Kreuger

Self-Education (Following Recommendations from The Well Educated Mind):

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Home Manager:

Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenrider

Marriage:

War of Words by Paul David Tripp (not a marriage book per se but communication is a weak link for me in our marriage. Dh is excellent at this and I want to be better.)

Happy new year to you all!